An Unexpected Coffee Date

trust your future self

By Christina Nguyen

April 9^th, 2018

On my first Saturday morning in Buenos Aires I packed up my bag, roamed the streets of Palermo Soho determined to find the best coffee and a cozy spot to do some work. All the recommendations given to me seemed like lovely places, but most were overpriced, or were already packed with people. Before I knew it, the rain started coming down hard. I popped into the nearest bookstore to shield from the rain since I had all my electronics on me... lo & behold there was a stunning coffee shop hidden inside the bookstore which led me to a very unexpected coffee date. I sat alone with my cappuccino, medialunas, and began to ponder.

Life is a temptation. It's about accepting, yielding, resisting, saying yes or no, deciding now or later, being impulsive or reflective. Perspective determines the frame through which we see our world, and make our decisions. The flow of the human experience is based on what was, what is now, and what will be. However, it’s important to choose the appropriate time perspective when it matters, and find balance between the present, past, and future. When our time perspectives are balanced, we can really use our imagination to create reality. We can make peace with the past, enjoy our time in the present, and envision a positive future for ourselves.

I arrived in South America, blinked my eyes, and suddenly found myself at the halfway point of Remote Year. I reflected on the last six months, and thought about how powerful of a force time is when you choose on purpose. My time on the road has had its highs, and lows, but the growth has been immense. I couldn’t be more grateful for what I have in this moment. But the real question hanging over me was what was I going to do next? An open-ended question like that can feel daunting when you may not have all the clarity to confidently articulate your answer. So, who’s the best person to get advice from? Your future self.

Your busy present self can play a trick on you, and keep you away from the scary stuff that you’re not ready to think about yet. But sometimes you must start before you’re ready. When we think about our future selves, we usually tend to imagine this person to be a better, and wiser version of who we are today. This person can distance themselves from the emotions or stress of the moment, and see the bigger picture. Chatting with your future self will help you gain clarity on your present self. Regret is a silent killer of will, so don't waste any time on doing what your future self wishes they would have done different. Treat yourself to a coffee, do some time traveling, and ask your future self if they'd be happy with the next decision you're about to make.